San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-07-26
COUNCIL MEETING.
Col. Belknap Censured-Do not Want
Their Acts NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Light, Bonds and Improve

Light, Bonds ana improve
ments.
A full board was present when the council
was called to order at 1870 p. M yesterday.
The minutes was read and approved and
petitions and memorials were then read as
follows:
Mrs. Drefiiy, for reduction of assessment.
AssessmC mt committee.
Petition of citizens TO have water mains
laid east of Sunset depot Gas and water
committee.
+. Z. Green, for permission to have fruit
and lemonade stand on Main plaza. City mar
shall.
Alex varga for remission of fine. Police
committee.
From W. c. Richards, to have rock quarry at
head of San Pedro avenue removed. Streets
and bridges and city engineer, for estimate of
cost.
Mrs T. J. Williams to sell eight feet of land
to StTaighten SOedad street. City engineer.
Albert Maverick to lay an underdrain pipe
from SOledad street to the river City en-
gneer.
Tip Morrison, for remission of fine. Police
committee.
DR.. r. Rutherford, for remission of fine.
Granted
The mayor said he thought DIR. Rutherford
bad a right TO carry the pistol.
Alderman Schrelner moved the fine be re-
mitted.
The fine was RENTED by vote of the coun.
Gil of lOtO2.
The recorder who was present, then asked
| that the fine Of SI5 against a cOlOred man,
hODt. simpson, lOf u ike Outnee, DE TGUlllteu
and this was done.
The mayor announced that George c. Alt
| gelt had filed injunction suit TO en-
| joiL the city from paying any funds under
contract for water supply. The city attorney
would file the proper answer TO the suit.
| Alderman Gallagher, for the committee on
petitions and ordinances, reported an Ordi-
nance imposing fine Of from SO to 500 for
persons unlawfully using water out of the
bitches, or for interfering with the locks or
dams of the same. The rules were suspended
al a nrIinAnpn nlAnpn
and third readings and passed.
| Streets and bridges committee reported ia
| vorab!y on {. II. GuGnthers petition for
| changing the name of Ewell street TO Gucn-
| Their. Adopted.
Favorably on John Eckford's petition to
| have Evergreen street cleared of brush. AdOp-
| ted.
Citizens petition for widening Duval street,
was granted.
Citizens of Seventh ward TO have Old Bahia
| or GOhad road re-established. Granted. AL
derman Reimann stated thht Mr.. II. c. Pfeiffer
| had removed the fence on that road.
Alderman Guerguin, for the assessment
committee. reported unfavOraby on petition
| of b. Leal for reduction of assessment. AdOp-
| ted.
Favorably on petition of 5. p. Maury for re-
| ductiOn of part of his assessment. Adopted.
Felipa Niarea reduction of assessment.
| Not granted.
| Gas and water committee reported eight new
fire hydrants accepted by the city and fire de-
partment. Adopted.
| Telephone and railway committee reported,
granting right OF way for West End street
| railway on streets west of San Pedro creek. to
| be designated by the board of directors of the
| company.
| pointed to investigate the aldermen whose fair
| fame haG been tinged with the suspicion of
| being offered brides. Prior to the reading
| of the report Alderman Belknap was allowed
| to present the following address;
| Your Honor the Mayor and Board of Alder
| men:
| Before your special committee shall have
| made their report desire TO be heard i'm per
sOnal explanation of the facts and causes that
| led mp to the remarks made by me at the
meeting one week ago.
| When / resumed my seat in this council
room, after considerable absence, no one here
| felt more kindly disposed and friendly TO each
| Of the members of the board than my self. No
idea or plan governing any action at this
meeting on my part had entered my mind. ]
| had no means of knowing what business was
| to be transacted or would come up before the
| council, as ! had been home but three days
| and had given my attention TO other things. |
| say this in order that you may know that any
words or action of mine later may have been
| hasty, but certainly were not premeditated,
| and that they were made without fear or fa-
NOr, and without regard or know ledge of
| whom they might hurt.
| Some four or five months ago, while looking
| over the city records preparing list of an
| nual appropriations, ! discovered that the
| contract with the gas company for lighting
| the city had expired, and that we had been
| running along for some time without one and
| therefore introduced the resolution that has
| brought this subject before the council VIZ:
That bids be re, Cived on July LIST for lighting
| the streets, pazas and public buildings Of this
| city.
on the 18th of May I went to the north. re-
| turning again on the 18th of July, During
| this time he bids haI been opened, and on
| Monday last the 18th the honorable chair
man of the gas committee made n lengthy re-
| port. Between the 18th the date of my return
and the 18th the date of the meetingl | had
| given to me because / was an alderman |
| SUPPOSED the drift OF rumOrs on the streets
| that affected the reputation and good name of
| certain members of this board paid but
| little attention to ii, as my time and mind for
| the moment were occupied on other matters
| considered possibly it might be idle talk
| But within five minutes of the calling of the
| roll of last weeks meeting two of the alder
| men at large COnversing at my side cmphati-
| cally reiterated what / had heard on the
! streets. One of these gentlemen brought il TO
| my notice at the time, because another
| alderman had said only five minutes
| before that offers were made to him which
| he had rejected Indignantly, confess this
| did set me a-thinking, and any action made
later was inspired by this conversation, and
| by nothing else.
| regret and feel deeply panied to think that
| any aldermen should have jumped TO the CON
| clusion that was preterring charges against
| them, individually or collectively Not one
| word or act of mine could be construed that
| way. In fact, my conduct shows to the con-
| trary, for did not CrOss-examine or interest
counsel. | considered this an investigation to
! md out what outside parties had undertaken
| TO dO-an investigation I'm which each alder
| man was equally interested with me in know
| ing the truth and whether stock las publicly
| stated had been offered and if SO. by whom.
| | certainly expected the assistance and sym
| pathy of all my brother aldermen, and still
| believe ] should have had il. / desire to say
| that IL is only through investigation that
| things can be denied or stand proven.
| For my part, should esteem il personal
J Kindness when any grave serious rumOrs
| are floating around concerning myself or my
| actions If the same opportunity was extended
to me by an investigation wherein these
| things could be proven or rebuked. ! con-
| sidered my words and actions were right and
! the proper thing TO do under the circumstan-
| ces, and IL Is beyond my comprehension why
! am unable to make the board see il in the
| same light
| A report from the committee concerning an
! original resolution of my own was made to
| the council. l had heard there was some in
| Formally or complicated bidding, and did not
| expect this committee would report on that
| day Equally interested with every
! other member, l desire to secure
] the best system and the best
/ light, knowing fun well that there are a
! great number Of kinds and styles that the
/ cheapest Is not the best, and that each plant
| or representatives Of the many systems are
| making every effort In their power 20 occupy
| new territory ahead of other competitors